No new MERS cases reported in S. Korea for 6 straight days

South Korea reported no additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Saturday, with the death toll from the disease rising by one to 36.

The number of people diagnosed with the viral disease has remained unchanged since Sunday at 186, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Ministry officials said the country may be able to declare an end to the MERS outbreak if it continues to see no new infection cases.

However, 513 people still remain in isolation as suspected cases following possible exposure to the MERS coronavirus.

Since the country reported its first case on May 20, nearly 16,700 people have been subject to isolation for possible infection. So far, 16,168 of them have been released after showing no symptoms of MERS for more than the known maximum incubation period of 14 days for the disease.

MERS is a viral respiratory disease that is still fairly new to humans. The disease has claimed over 530 lives globally, posting a fatality rate of over 36 percent.

In South Korea, the fatality rate remains at less than 19.4 percent.

There currently is no vaccine or treatment for the disease that was first reported only in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. (Yonhap)